


Copia and the Evil Eye

by copias_gloves



Series: Sathanas, We Are One [7]
Category: Ghost (Sweden Band)
Genre: Character Death, Fluff, Gay Sex, Impotence, M/M, Mind Reading, Murder, Poison, Ritual Magic, Unrequited Love, avoiding confrontation, mild mind manipulation, sex on a desk, thought hearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-15
Updated: 2019-09-15
Packaged: 2020-10-04 22:50:20
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,432
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20478770
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/copias_gloves/pseuds/copias_gloves
Summary: The cardinal and his favorite ghoul, Aether, have grown close. Very close. And now the same old dilemma has cropped up: should he be honest about the Evil Eye and his abilities? Or keep it a secret to avoid creating unnecessary conflict? Copia seeks advice from Ember, and tells him some stories from his past.





	1. The Same Old Dilemma

**Author's Note:**

> This story follows from my main series Sathanas, We Are One, and there are several references to various events that might not make sense if you haven't read the rest of them :P   
Hope you enjoy this little insight into Copia's past!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Copia struggles with whether or not he should reveal his abilities to Aether now that they've gotten close.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So excited to finally share this with you all, I know I've talked about writing it for forever so now the day is finally here!!

(Artwork by [vampirecatprince](https://archiveofourown.org/users/vampirecatprince/works) on AO3 aka [elementalghouls](https://elementalghouls.tumblr.com/) on Tumblr. Do not reuse or repost.)

Pastel morning light was beginning to illuminate the room with a soft glow as Copia lay awake. He was pensive. Beside him, Aether was sleeping soundly, the rhythmic rise and fall of his ample pectorals giving the cardinal something to watch idly as thoughts swirled around in his brain. It had become a regular thing, waking up in the ghoul’s bed, or, just as often, Aether could be found in his bed; they weren’t particular about whose bed they shared, only that they were together. 

At first, Copia had tried to play it off like he only needed Aether around to help him with managing the Ghost project, since the cardinal had many other responsibilities which needed to be taken care of for the clergy at large. But over time it became clear that the time they spent together was less about business and much, much more about the growing intimacy between them. Aether was a tender, compassionate lover, and Copia found himself rather attached to the ghoul. Dangerously attached. Addicted, even. And it terrified him.

It had been some time since Copia had allowed himself to get so close to someone. He’d taken many lovers over the years, but every once in awhile someone special came into his life and the inevitable conflict arose: _ Should I reveal my abilities and risk breaking the bond we’ve formed? _ Aether was so trusting and sweet, the mere thought of ruining the good thing they had going by disclosing his powers filled Copia’s heart with unavoidable apprehension.

_ It’s always the same, isn’t it? Why does he have to be so damn wonderful? _ Copia thought, wishing Aether had some glaring character flaw or bad habit, anything that he could use as an excuse to distance himself. But alas, he couldn’t think of a single thing that bothered him about the ghoul; his presence was eternally soothing, endlessly captivating, and deeply satisfying… 

Aether stirred. He took a deep breath before his horned head turned toward Copia and his kind brown eyes opened slowly with a gentle smile. “I hope you slept well,” the ghoul said.

“As well as can be expected,” Copia replied. He smiled back, though, based on Aether’s thoughts _ (Oh no… he looks upset), _ he wasn’t very convincing.

“Is something wrong?” Aether asked. His hand reached over to comfortingly cradle the cardinal’s face.

“My dear ghoul,” Copia responded, resting his own hand on top of Aether’s. “Thank you for asking, but it’s a bit of a personal matter. No need to worry though. It’ll all get sorted out in due time.”

“Fair enough. Do let me know if there’s anything I can do to help, won’t you?”

_ Yes, please stop being so lovely, you big lug, _ Copia thought. “I will.” The cardinal leaned in and kissed his lover, with the intention of quelling any concerns the ghoul might have that he could be to blame for Copia’s internal struggle; this whole problem stemmed from the cardinal’s actions alone. Aether was just unfortunate enough to have gotten involved with someone in possession of the Evil Eye, and didn’t even know it. Yet. If ever.

As much as Copia wanted to stay in the ghoul’s bed for the next several hours and continue to prove that he remained helplessly enchanted by Aether’s charm, the cardinal needed to sort out his thoughts and make a decision. Reluctantly, Copia broke away from the kiss and Aether’s hold on him, and made moves to get out of the bed.

“Working early then?” Aether asked. _ (I wish he would stay here a bit longer… ) _

Copia barely refrained from wincing at the unspoken sentiment. “The Dark Lord’s work is never done,” the cardinal intimated as he stood and dressed himself.

“Do you ever take a holiday?”

Copia nearly laughed. “There may come a time when I could, but now is not that time, sadly.” Once he was finished getting dressed, he approached the bed once more, unable to resist planting another kiss on Aether’s lips. “Go back to sleep, and I’ll see you later, I’m sure.”

“If you insist,” Aether said, chuckling as he wriggled to get comfortable in bed.

The cardinal took his leave, and closed the door behind him softly.

From the confines of his office, Copia sat in his high-backed leather chair with his fingers laced together across his middle, lost in deep contemplation. He wasn’t going to get any work done like this. He had to decide what he would do, and quickly, before the anxiousness ate him away from the inside. _ Maybe I should ask for a second opinion… _The only others who knew about the Evil Eye were Imperator and Nihil… and Ember.

Copia picked up the receiver of the phone on his desk and quickly dialed the number of one of his most reliable acolytes, and requested that they send Ember to his office as soon as possible. He could have tried calling Ember directly, but the skinny ghoul was notorious for ignoring his cell phone, so it was simply easier to have someone fetch him in person. After the call, he set the receiver back down and twiddled his thumbs while he waited.

Perhaps fifteen minutes later, though it felt much longer for the cardinal, the office door swung open and the lead guitar ghoul entered, looking pissed off.

“I didn’t fucking do anything, okay? Why does everyone assume I’m the one making trouble all the time?” Ember ranted, on the defensive.

“Relax, Ember. You’re not in trouble. Please, close the door and have a seat,” Copia requested calmly, his hand outstretched to offer one of the two chairs across from his desk.

_ (I wonder what this is all about then… ) _ the skinny ghoul thought. Ember did as he was told, pushing the door closed with his elbow and then sat down, now looking more suspicious than upset. “Okay, so what’s the big deal? Why so urgent?”

The cardinal took a deep breath and steepled his hands in front of his mouth, considering how he wanted to approach the situation. After a few moments, he finally spoke up. “I’m having a personal crisis, and I was hoping to get your opinion on what I should do.”

Ember’s eyebrows came together in confusion as he scowled a bit. “Really? Why would you want my opinion?” The question was genuine, and Copia found it endearing that Ember didn’t expect his advice to be something that valuable.

“You happen to be one of very few who can give some insight into this particular problem. It involves my ‘little optical anomaly,’ as you so lovingly called it.”

Realization struck and Ember’s eyes grew wide for a second. “I see. So what’s going on?” He crossed his arms and sat back in his chair, listening.

Copia cleared his throat, then rested one elbow on the desk and held his chin in his hand. “Well, it’s a bit awkward, considering your uh… previous, I hope, feelings for Aether. However, since you know him so well, I think your opinion would be the most helpful out of my available options for advice. I hope discussing him doesn’t make you uncomfortable, but if so, then I understand.”

The cardinal had been certain that Ember’s thoughts would suddenly be filled with anger or jealousy or sadness, but he found the skinny ghoul’s mind to be surprisingly quiet. His expression was calm, and he even smiled a little. “I’m okay with it now. Go ahead.”

“That’s good to hear,” Copia expressed. It was quite a relief, and the cardinal felt a little less anxious to discuss his dilemma. “So. Aether and I have grown close lately, and whenever I form this kind of bond with someone, the issue always arises that, well, I have a bit of an advantage in the communication department. Luckily, Aether is very forthcoming with his feelings, so it hasn’t been an issue thus far, but I feel like I owe it to him to tell him the truth about my capabilities. But in doing so, I could break the trust that I’ve formed with him… it’s all so precarious, and frankly, the idea of ruining what I have with him is… painful, to say the least.”

“Hang on,” Ember interjected, leaning forward and narrowing his grey eyes. “Why’d you tell me about the Eye then? It’s not like you and I are all that close. I mean, sure we’ve fucked, but I imagine what you and Aether have goes a bit deeper than that, yes?”

It was an excellent question, and one that Copia initially wasn’t sure the answer to. But as he considered it, the reason became clear. “You managed to see me at a very vulnerable moment, and didn’t judge me for it. I felt right away that I could trust you, and that you could keep it a secret, even if I didn’t reveal it until a bit later.”

_ (‘Vulnerable moment’?) _ “What moment was that?” Ember asked.

Copia cleared his throat a little. “When I was restrained and became overwhelmed as you tickled me.” The memory of it brought a flush to the cardinal’s face, and he was certain his cheeks were as red as his cassock.

“OH. That. Gotcha.” _ (Was that really such a big deal?) _ “Well, then I feel honored that you trust me that much, I guess.”

“Not everyone would have reacted with such kindness,” Copia told the ghoul, thinking back on less considerate lovers. “So, knowing what you know, both about my Evil Eye, and about Aether, do you feel like it’s the right choice to tell him the truth? Or would it be best to not rock the boat and continue as we have? Which, for the record, has been without any major issues thus far.”

Ember held his chin for a moment, and was about to think about it before he realized internally that he might as well think out loud, since Copia would hear it anyway. “Well, to be honest, I don’t feel like I fully understand what the Evil Eye is or what it can do. Could you tell me more about it? It’d be better if I offered an informed opinion.”

“Fair enough. Shall I start from the beginning?”

The skinny ghoul smirked. “I’ve heard that’s a good place to start.”

“Heh heh. Settle in, imp.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, settle in my darlings, 'cause it's storytime with Copia :B


	2. Lesson Learned

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Copia recounts one of the first hard-learned lessons after he gained the Evil Eye.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing Copia's first-person perspective was tricky, so I hope I pulled it off!

It all began when I was a bishop. I’ve served the Unholy Clergy for most of my life, and at that time I was spending countless hours studying ancient manuscripts and offering my services wherever they were needed. Because of my dedication, some saw me as a bit of a kiss-ass, but to those who mattered, I was a devoted, reliable employee. Most importantly, Sister Imperator had noticed my efforts. It was rare to receive accolades from her. It still is, really. The fact that I even caught her attention was impressive enough, but I’m an ambitious man, and I wanted more than mere recognition.

When given the chance to speak with Imperator privately, I built my case in an effort to convince her that I was worthy of so much more, if only the higher clergy would give me a chance. She was hesitant at first, not wanting to besmirch her own good name in the event that I somehow let her down, but over time she acknowledged my loyalty, and my passion for the cause, and eventually vouched for me. Soon after, I was to be appointed as a cardinal.

The process to become a cardinal of the Unholy Clergy is no mere pomp and circumstance; it involves great personal sacrifice, as well as powerful rewards. As I prepared for the ceremony, Sister Imperator informed me about the Evil Eye. She told me that it would allow me to hear the thoughts of others, to create visions, to remove said visions, to open portals, and some telekinesis, if I was skilled enough (turns out I am, by the way). She neglected to mention that the thought-hearing never stops, that it’s not a switch one can flip on and off as desired. But she did include the other downsides: accepting the Evil Eye would mean I no longer age, and cannot die of natural causes. Now, to some that might seem like a positive, to essentially have eternal life, but I have always looked at death with great respect. Although death from unnatural causes does not sound pleasant, it comes with the territory. Now, before you ask, no, the Evil Eye cannot be destroyed or removed if I want to “opt out.” I would feel every bit of pain and it would regrow, like a lizard’s tail that’s been lopped off.

Once I fully understood what the Evil Eye entailed, despite its drawbacks, the allure of such powers was too strong to resist. I told Sister Imperator that I was willing to take on the Evil Eye. She warned me that not everyone can handle this kind of power, and she had seen many before me lose their sanity as a result of even trying. I wanted it anyway. I’m a man of great ambition, and I wasn’t about to let a few minor details get in the way of what I want. Satisfied with my resolve, Imperator set the plans in motion to make me a cardinal.

Papa Emeritus the Second conducted the ceremony, though the Third and the First were also in attendance, along with Imperator. I can’t really get into the details of the ritual itself; even saying this much could get me into some trouble, but I trust that you won’t be running your mouth about any of this.

Once the ritual was complete, and they’d bestowed upon me the Evil Eye, the first thought I heard that was not my own came from the Second: _ (I don’t think I’ll ever understand why they chose such a sniveling rat.) _ I had suspected that he wasn’t overly impressed by me, but now it was confirmed, and he either wanted me to know it or simply didn’t care if I did. He was hardly the first person to underestimate me, and he wouldn’t be the last. Aloud he said, “Best of luck,” though I felt no genuine support from him.

I noticed then that I could _ not _ hear any of Imperator’s thoughts. I found it strange, since she surely must have been thinking about something, but I didn’t get even a whisper of her thoughts. I wondered if somehow the ritual had gone wrong, perhaps the Evil Eye was defective somehow, but Papa quickly dispelled my concerns, making sure his thoughts were loud and clear, _ (Don’t worry about her. Best not to pry.) _ I felt a strong sense of foreboding then, like I’d walked into the wrong part of town but managed to escape with my life before anything bad could happen. To this day, I cannot hear Imperator’s thoughts, and I have no clue why. Though I have my theories.

Adjusting to life with the Evil Eye was no easy task, no matter how confident I had been beforehand in my ability to adapt quickly. It didn’t help that I was also getting acclimated to life here at the Abbey; before then, I had been stationed at a much smaller branch in Genoa, Italy, so coming here was a massive change of pace, to say the least. It was exciting, to be sure, being part of the main headquarters, serving under the Dark Lord’s closest allies, surrounded by so many new people… But that also meant I was constantly barraged with the thoughts of everyone around me. Imagine, if you can, the cacophony that is every other person nearby’s internal dialogues happening all at once. No wonder so many lost their minds after receiving the Evil Eye. But I was determined. I refused to let it impede my overall progress, and I persevered. 

One favorite trick of mine to help drown out the hubbub is to carry my big boombox around on my shoulder, blasting some music. If you’ve seen me doing that, it’s probably because I simply can’t concentrate that day, and need to be able to overpower the constant noise so I can focus.

But you know, sometimes it isn’t about the _ amount _ of noise around me, it’s _ what _ I hear that derails my train of thought. Hearing others’ opinions of you, completely unfiltered… it can take a toll on the spirit, or conversely, it can inflate the ego to dangerously high levels. I’d walk past a gaggle of Sisters of Sin and hear their interest in me, which put a spring in my step, and then the next moment I’d cross paths with a ghoul who considered me nothing but a contemptible brown-noser whose sole purpose in life is to obey the command of those above me. It’s a whirlwind of emotions, or at least it was at the beginning.

Even when I thought it was a good thing, sometimes it turned out to not be so good… Take, for example, my first intimate encounter since I’d gained possession of the Evil Eye. I was always getting lost at first, the building is so large that I would be late for meetings or lose my way for embarrassingly long periods of time, and I had heard about a certain Brother of Sin who’s sort of like the resident tour guide, perhaps you’ve heard of him? His name is Raúl. 

I went to go see him, in hopes that he could lend me a map of some kind, or maybe teach me some tricks for how to navigate a bit better. The moment I stepped into the little office where he and a few others work, I was struck by Raúl’s good looks: he’s about mid-thirties, slender build, olive skin, with dark brown, slicked-back wavy hair, blue-green eyes, a prominent nose, a winning smile… he could be a model, truly. And as soon as he set eyes on me, his thoughts could only be described as… impure. Things like, _ (Lucifer, I’d like to see what’s under that cassock). _ How could I resist an opportunity like that?

So I let Brother Raúl show me around, and he was more than happy to share his wealth of knowledge about the Abbey’s history, pointing out various landmarks here and there to help orient myself when I got lost. He was very charming, and flirty, and those thoughts of his just kept on going: _ (I wonder what his moans sound like… I bet I could make him moan.) _ He wanted it bad, and I was happy to indulge him. I invited him to meet with me later that week, if only to help build the suspense a bit, though I bet if I had asked him to come to my room right then and there he would have been game.

As you’re well aware, being able to hear the thoughts of a sexual partner makes it all too easy to give them exactly what they want, without them having to say as much out loud. Raúl’s desires were broadcast loud and clear, and I fucked him exactly how he wanted it, until he was quivering and whimpering beneath me, or on top of me, or against the wall… I completely lost track of time, I was too caught up in the power trip of making this pretty thing go mad with sexual gratification. By the time we were done, too tired to even clean up, he’d curled up beside me like a stray kitten, and I was so pleased with myself. _ This whole Evil Eye thing isn’t so bad after all, _ I thought.

How wrong I’d been.

The next morning, I woke up early as I normally do, and had to hurry off to a meeting with Imperator first thing. I left Raúl in my bed; he was sleeping soundly, so there was no point in waking him unnecessarily. Imperator dumped a huge task on me, which she insisted that I complete by the following day. Even the summary of her demands took ages to discuss, and by the time I returned to my room to gather some items, I was already stressed.

I opened the door, it must have been well past ten in the morning by then, and Raúl was still there, dozing peacefully. He woke as I entered though, and looked at me with his puppy dog eyes and smiled sweetly. I asked him, politely, what he was still doing there, surely he had his own duties to take care of. “Oh, I have the day off. I thought maybe we could spend some more time together,” he said, but his thoughts were much more telling, _ (And maybe you could fuck me again… and again and again… ). _

While I’d certainly enjoyed the previous night, I hadn’t really intended for it to become an ongoing affair. I had business take care of, goals to achieve. I wasn’t about to let a pretty young thing get in my way, no matter how good he was in bed. But I tried to let him down gently: “I’d love to, but I can’t,” I told him, “Imperator’s just given me a nearly impossible workload that needs to be done by tomorrow.” It was the truth, after all.

But Raúl wasn’t willing to give up so easily, it seemed. “I don’t mind waiting. I could be here whenever you’re done,” he offered. _ (Shit, I’d even settle for simply sleeping beside him again, or just talking… I want to know all about him), _ he thought. It was then that I realized his attraction to me was much more serious than I had thought. He wasn’t just horny, he was _ smitten. _

Not wanting to completely shut him down right away, I told him, “Perhaps another time.” 

He was disappointed. He pouted a bit, but it seemed like he understood. “Should I—” he started, motioning toward the door, asking if I wanted him to leave.

“No, no, stay as long as you like,” I said, “I’m only stopping by to grab some things and then I have to get to work. I’ll be cooped up in the library most of the day, I think.” I went to my desk and found the items I needed, and then headed for the door. I gave him a wave before I left and he waggled his fingers back at me, that charming smile of his playing on his lips.

I didn’t return to my room until sometime past midnight, exhausted but at least I’d managed to complete the task. Everything was just as it had been, the bed was a rumpled mess, and I was certain Raúl had left it that way on purpose, as if to remind me of the previous night’s events. As if I could forget.

A few days later, when I’d thought our little fling had probably blown over, I was working at my desk, writing up some droll paperwork on Sister Imperator’s behalf, when Raúl came knocking. I honestly didn’t want to be disturbed, so I sat perfectly still, in hopes that he’d think I wasn’t there. I could hear him mentally pleading, _ (Please be there… I can’t stop thinking about you and I’m going crazy… just open up and rock my fucking world again, please… At least tell me that you want me). _ I did feel bad for him, but it was best if he just let the whole thing go, so I remained silent, unmoving. Eventually he gave up, assuming I was elsewhere.

Some other day, I came out of my room and intended to go get a late night meal from the cafeteria, and as I opened the door, something fell near my feet. It was a letter. I bent down and picked it up. On the outside, written in rather impressive calligraphy, was “Dearest Cardinal.” I took it with me to the cafeteria, and finally opened it once I’d sat down to eat.

I still have that letter. I’ve read it so many times, I know every line by heart. It said:

> _ My dear Cardinal, _
> 
> _ I hope you’re doing well. I know your career is important to you, and I truly admire your commitment. I believe you’re destined for greatness. But I also hope you’re not working too hard. Please make sure to relax and take time for yourself. Everyone needs to decompress once in a while. _
> 
> _ I’m also writing this letter to say that I think we have a special connection. Right away, you seemed to be able to read me so easily. I’ve never felt so immediately understood in my entire life. I hope the feeling is mutual. As far as I could tell, we both seemed to more than satisfy each other’s needs, and I think, if you’re not too busy, we could be so much more. Please make time to see me again. Give me a chance to prove all the things I can’t properly express here. _
> 
> _ With love, _
> 
> _ Raúl _

I couldn’t finish eating after reading it. I went back to my room and suffered through a sleepless night, uncertain what I should do about the situation. I couldn’t bring myself to meet with him, which I admit was cowardly of me. But how could I tell him to his face that I didn’t feel the same way, after he’d poured his heart out to me like that? I thought that if I kept my distance, he’d eventually get the message, and that his feelings for me would fade. Call me irresponsible, that’s valid. I was selfish, and too focused on my own ambitions to acknowledge that even inaction has its consequences.

Maybe another week or so passed, and again I found a surprise by my door. I nearly tripped over a gift basket, which was packed with all manner of self-care items: bath bubbles, face masks, aromatherapy candles, chocolates, even some cigars, a bunch of stuff. And attached to it was a small tag, written in the same fine calligraphy, _ Don’t forget about me. _ It was painfully sweet of him. And it only made me feel worse for shutting him out so completely, but I continued to do so.

I finally understood the impact of it all when late one night I found myself wandering down the hallway near the office where Raúl worked. It wasn’t common for the light to still be on at that hour, so I crept up as quietly as I could and stopped just before the doorway to eavesdrop.

I heard the sounds of muffled crying, and recognized immediately it was Raúl. He didn’t want to bother any other Siblings, so he was there, alone, unable to hold back his emotions. My heart wrenched to hear it. I teared up too. And then came his thoughts: _ (What did I do wrong? Did I scare Copia away? He probably has someone else… he could have anyone he wants… why would he even want a nobody like me? I’m such a fucking idiot…) _

I do feel some guilt in sharing his private thoughts with you, but now you understand how devastating it is to be able to hear those things which I was never meant to, and how deeply it affected me. I quietly turned back and walked away as quickly as possible, feeling awful about leaving him to suffer by himself, but unable to bear the idea of telling him the truth that I had only meant to test my abilities and get laid, nothing more.

After that, I didn’t receive any more letters or gifts. Finally he’d given up his pursuit. Understandable, really. I’ll never know why he didn’t give up sooner, but I suppose we all get caught up in “what could be” from time to time. I felt some relief, it was all water under the bridge, right? Finally we could both move on and forget it ever happened, or at least no longer let it affect our daily lives. Scars remain, after all.

But we all heal at different paces. The last time I interacted with him directly, I thought enough time had passed. I went to his office, ready to ask him to show some guests around who were considering joining the clergy. Raúl watched me approach and kept his expression polite, but internally he had nothing but pure, seething hatred for me. _ (Are you fucking kidding me? Of course this asshole only shows up now, when it’s official business. What a coward. I’m just gonna wait for him to say something). _

“Brother Raúl,” I greeted him, “It’s nice to see you again, I hope you’ve been well.” It was incredibly difficult to not react to the vitriol in his mind, but I did my best.

“Never better,” he answered. _ (No thanks to you, you chickenshit rat bastard,) _ he added in his head. “And you, Cardinal?”

“Busy as usual,” I replied.

_ (I bet you are, how else would you avoid being REAL with anyone? At least I had the fucking balls to tell you how I felt, you miserable old fuck!) _ “Happy to hear it. Is there something I can help you with?” 

To any outside observers, our exchange was perfectly cordial. I asked him to give a tour to our guests, and he agreed to it without hesitation. _ (Seriously, what did I ever see in him? I don’t know who’s more pathetic, this coward, or me, for ever thinking he was worth my time… ) _ was the last thought I heard from Raúl as he escorted the guests into the hallway to begin the tour.

And that was the first hard-learned lesson about the Evil Eye. From then on, I swore to not abuse my powers for personal gain, or I’d soon be surrounded by scorned lovers, beyond a doubt. I’ve been much more selective since then. I never want to make someone feel like that ever again. I hope someday Raúl can forgive me, but I’ll understand if he never does.

Despite my best efforts though, even with all my good intention, it’s unavoidable to a certain extent, no matter the relationship. I gravitate toward people who are honest and forthcoming with their thoughts and feelings, which includes you, by the way, to try and minimize that, but the Evil Eye finds a way to complicate things. Sometimes it puts me in terrible positions, like the time I got involved with Marble… 

Ember interrupted him for the first time since Copia had started telling his story. “Hang on, you and Marble had a thing?? Okay you _ have _ to tell me about that, I had no idea,” the skinny ghoul urged him, his grey eyes shining with curiosity.

Copia took a deep breath and prepared to recount another tale.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Behold my Brother of Sin OC, Raúl! I have a whole massive storyline about him if anyone is interested, but that would be a whole separate series :P


	3. Top 10 Anime Betrayals

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Copia tells Ember about his relationship with Marble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Marble is the name I've given for Era 3 Earth, aka Smol Earth. Feel free to use that name too, but I just wanted a unique way to refer to him.

Sister Imperator asked me to come to her office, which usually means she’s upset or has a task for you. In this case, it was a task, or a mission, more like. She told me to start studying the Ghost project, which I’d had my eyes on since the beginning. She said she had plans for me, but we would need to be patient. I didn’t mind waiting if it meant I would get to rise up even further.

I started attending rehearsals. As you’re aware, it’s not something that’s typically allowed, so when I showed up as the band was practicing, it was no surprise that Papa Emeritus the Third was visibly annoyed. He didn’t understand why I would need to be there, “It’s not as though you could ever try to replace _ me,” _ he said, or otherwise improve the band with my feedback or anything else.

I told him I was simply following orders, and his response was, “Yes, such a good little lap dog, aren’t you?”

With those unpleasantries out of the way, they carried on with their practice anyway, as there was a new leg of their tour starting up soon and talk of Grammy nominations. Right away, my attention was drawn to the drummer ghoul, Marble, whose energetic flair was very captivating indeed. I couldn’t take my eyes off him as he played. It didn’t take long for the Third to notice, and in his mind he found it all very amusing, but was careful not to reveal why.

After their rehearsal was over, I caught up with Marble as he was stretching his body, no doubt sore from the long session. I told him that I admired his playstyle. He wasn’t particularly warm about it; he barely acknowledged me at first, and according to his thoughts, he had a real problem any higher clergy, so he was naturally wary of me too. He detested the Third in particular, whom he thought of as a narcissistic slut who only cared about himself and treated the band ghouls like accessories (except Omega, apparently the Third’s favorite).

Using his internal dialogues to my advantage, which, yes, I was still doing even though I’d told myself I wouldn’t, after the rest of the band had either left or was out of earshot, I told him I’d been sent by Imperator to discreetly get feedback from the band ghouls, as there had been whispers of dissent.

“Why doesn’t she come ask us herself then?” Marble asked in his cheeky way.

I laughed and answered, “You think she has time for that? No, she sends her servants for such things, and alas, here I am.” I hoped to strike some common ground by highlighting that we were both in positions of heeding orders from someone above.

It seemed to do the trick. He agreed to meet with me to discuss it, but only after he had something to eat. He was starving and about to head to the cafeteria, so I offered to have him dine with me instead. He’d never gotten to try the food that we higher clergy have access to; sorry to break it to you, but our menu is of slightly higher quality than the stuff they serve you ghouls and Siblings. I don’t think it’s fair, but it is what it is. You’d eat it too if you had access to it… anyway, Marble joined me for dinner in my office, so we could talk privately without anyone overhearing.

He ate like he hadn’t seen food in a week, I swear I’ve never seen a ghoul eat so quickly. I did appreciate his utter disinterest in keeping up some kind of appearance in my company; he was himself, always, regardless of who he was with, and I admired that about him. After I’d poured some wine for each of us, he finally began to vent.

The small drummer ghoul told me about how, when he’d first joined the clergy, he’d thought it would be so prestigious and cool, but now that he had been a part of it for some time, he considered it more like indentured servitude. He missed the freedom and lawlessness of Hell. “Sure, the devotees are great and all, and I love playing for them, but this schedule is grueling,” he complained. “Between touring and rehearsals and appearances, I feel like we can never catch a break or have any input on the band at all. I feel underappreciated, honestly. And I just _ know _ that Papa is going to take all the credit if we win that Grammy…”

I empathized with him. I told him how I too felt underappreciated and overworked for very little reward, although I did admit that at least my position as cardinal does come with quite a few privileges. As we sat there talking, I’m not sure exactly what came over me, it had been a while I suppose, and I got the sense that things were going well enough between us, so I changed the subject.

“You know what makes me feel better after a much-needed gripe session?” I asked. He was picking his teeth with his nail, listening but only just. He looked at me with his deep blue eyes, they were so striking, and he shrugged. “An orgasm,” I said finally, then waited to see how he’d react.

Marble was hardly fazed by it. “Are you saying that we should fuck?” he asked, calm as could be.

“I’m saying the offer is on the table. Or perhaps… the desk.”

“Have you ever fucked a ghoul before?”

I asked, “Does it seem like I haven’t?” I had at least been with some lower-ranking ghouls in the past by that point.

He shrugged. “I was just checking. Not all humans can handle it.”

“Trust me, my hands are quite capable. Among other parts of me.”

That seemed to be enough to convince him. Marble stood from his seat and approached the desk, staring at me intensely. Then with one sweep of his arm, he pushed everything off the edge of my desk, like a cat would, and sat on the desk expectantly. “Show me,” he said.

I was more than happy to prove my claims to be true. We practically tore off each other’s cassocks, and he made for quite a demanding bottom. I didn’t need to hear his thoughts; Marble had no reservations whatsoever about telling me exactly what he wanted and how, and, if I may say so myself, I delivered. I had him moaning and pushing back against me with everything he had. Our libidos were actually very evenly matched, and thus we fulfilled each other’s needs easily. By the end of it he’d left deep gouges in my desk, you can actually still see them… 

The cardinal paused his story to move some papers and knick-knacks aside to show Ember where Marble’s nails had dug small crescents into the wood, and the skinny ghoul eyed them with a reasonably impressed smirk.

“Look, sexy story time is great and all, I’m not trying to say I don’t want to hear it, far from that, but what does this have to do with the Evil Eye?” Ember asked. He shifted in his seat a little, clearly affected by Copia’s saucy tale.

“I’m getting there, don’t worry. I wanted to include those little details for your entertainment, that’s all,” Copia responded, chuckling softly. After a moment he added, “I’m afraid the rest of the story isn’t as much fun.”

Ember gestured for him to continue, sitting back in his chair to listen.

Marble and I carried on like that for several months while I continued to study the Ghost project. I was already starting to come up with my own ideas for what I would do if I got the chance to take over, and that little Earth ghoul helped me keep my mind at ease. What I liked most about Marble was that his thoughts and his words were _ always _ in sync; he had absolutely no filter, whatever came to mind, he said it, and it made the burden of hearing the thoughts of others that much more bearable. At least when I was with him, I didn’t have to worry about having to sift through passive-aggressive tendencies or hidden feelings of any kind.

But then one night something changed. Well, lots of things had been changing. Tensions between Papa Emeritus the Third and his ghouls had continued to worsen over time, and eventually it was decided that the lineup needed to change. That’s when you, Aether, and the others came in under the Third. Marble did _ not _ take that well. And apparently, neither did some of his former bandmates.

That night, we met up as planned, I went to Marble’s room, but he was especially quiet. It was the first time he’d been like that, kind of sullen and pensive, so naturally I was concerned. I tried to get him to talk about it, but he insisted that nothing was wrong, he’d just had a long day.

So I had no choice but to hear his thoughts instead. I didn’t even want to, truly, but they rang out loud as a bell since he wasn’t speaking them openly.

Marble had met with some of the other band ghouls—no, not simply met with, _ conspired with. _ They wanted to kill the Papas, and were starting to plan how they would go about it. Marble’s thoughts were full of doubt: _ (Can we really get away with it though? Those bastards deserve it but should I really risk losing my place in the clergy? What if something goes wrong? Would they kill us? What’s the punishment for papa-cide?) _

I was conflicted. I knew that such information should be passed along to Imperator, and that this could lead to a chance for me to take over the Ghost project, but I didn’t want to betray the only lover I’d been able to keep around consistently since I came to the Abbey. Rather than pester him or have to continue to listen to his incriminating thoughts, I left him alone and went to have my own separate contemplative evening.

It wasn’t an easy decision to make.

Ultimately, however, I chose my own livelihood over his. Feeling like a horrible snitch, I told Imperator about Marble and the other ghouls’ murderous intentions. She even sneered at me as I told her, as if she too despised that I was tattling, even if the information was something she needed. What she _ wanted, _ really. Imperator was thrilled to hear it. “You’ve done excellent work here, Cardinal. This could be our perfect opportunity. Let these ghouls carry out their sinister plot. I’ve been trying to convince Nihil that his sons are all useless anyway.” Her plan was to oust the ghouls once the deed was done. I knew she was capable of great and terrible things, but I hadn’t expected her to so openly condone murdering the Emeritus brothers… I was taken aback by it, but I agreed to let it happen, banking on this being my big chance.

The next time I was together with Marble, I felt even more conflicted. From his thoughts I found out that the ghouls were planning to murder the Papas during their next card game, which was only a few days away at that point. I debated with myself: _ Should I tell Marble that I know about the plan and advise him to back out, let the other ghouls take the fall? _

If I told him that I knew about their plan, I was likely going to have to reveal my abilities to him, and Marble might not ever trust me again. But if I let him go through with it, he’d be excommunicated anyway. It was a terrible position to be in. Not my physical position, mind you, we were mid-fucking and all of this was going through my head. I got so distracted that I uhhh… I lost steam. Marble was so disappointed, he hated to be left unsatisfied. Threw a complete tantrum. I let him run his mouth about it though, I knew some of those angry feelings were stemming from his own worries about their plan and whether or not he could go through with it.

I so wanted to hold him close and protect him from the imminent shitstorm, but before I could, Marble left, complaining that he would have to take care of himself that night. Even if he’d stayed, we weren’t really an affectionate pair like that. More about creature comfort than actual emotional support.

And so, the ghouls followed through with their plan. They snuck into the back room where the Papas would play their card games, and injected each of them with a fast-acting poison that killed them in mere minutes. The Emeritus bloodline, snuffed out like a candle. Once they were found and pronounced dead, Imperator almost immediately called for a meeting in her office with the ghouls responsible and myself.

It felt like walking to the gallows, even though I wasn’t one of the ones directly responsible for their deaths. Not only that, but the death of a companionship, which, by that time, I’d become quite attached to Marble. And knowing this might be the last time I ever see him, well… 

Anyway. I got to her office, and the ghouls were already there, standing in a row and looking defiantly confident. Imperator meanwhile was glaring at them. She started this tirade about how disgusted by them all she was. “Each of you are a disgrace to your kind, and poor representations of our Dark Lord Below. Have you anything to say for yourselves? We know it was you who so _ monstrously _ slaughtered the Papas.”

Alpha was the most vocal, and seemingly the leader of their little rebellion. “You have no proof. What evidence is there that it was us? Seems to me like you’re talking out of that wrinkly, flat ass of yours, Sister,” he dared to say, crossing his arms as he did.

If you could have seen Imperator’s face in that moment… Nothing scarier, I promise you.

But instead of blowing up at them, she kind of calmly turned to me, and said, “Go on, tell them how we know.”

I hadn’t been prepared for her to involve me like that. I thought I was there just as a witness, or maybe she thought I’d want to relish with her in chastising those ghouls, who knows. I had no choice. It was the only way we actually knew, and if I defied her then I’d certainly miss out on any opportunity to gain more power.

Standing in that crowded office, I told them, “I heard it from Marble’s thoughts,” and announced my betrayal for them all to hear. The ghouls scoffed, not believing me for a second. I challenged them, daring them all to think of the most random thought they could imagine, and I’d prove it. I went right down the row, telling each of them what I heard, and I ended with Marble, who was, there’s no other way to describe it, incensed. When it sank in that I was telling the truth, the realization dawned on his face, and I could see how _ hurt _ he was that I’d gone behind his back like this.

“You rat bastard! You’re even worse than those fuckers we murdered!” he yelled at me. Air had to hold him back, he started thrashing wildly, trying to attack me.

Meanwhile, Imperator took that as an admission of guilt and right away set into motion their expulsion from the church and from the Surface. In no time at all, they were all gathered up and banished back to Hell, never to be seen again.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you @sushiwestern for the encouragement to use this chapter title lmao


	4. Revelations

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Copia's made up his mind about what to do.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you enjoy the conclusion! This story has been a long time in the making, and I very much enjoyed exploring Copia's past and internal debates!

“So now you see my dilemma,” the cardinal said, folding his hands together on the desk. He sighed heavily, a bit tired from all of the talking. “I know that this situation is entirely different… but it’s not an easy choice to make.” It had been so long since Copia had confided in someone so openly like this.

Ember had listened quietly to it all. The skinny ghoul nodded and sat back in his chair. “I was going to consider my advice for a minute but there’d be no point, since you’d be able to hear it anyway,” Ember prefaced. He crossed one leg over his knee and continued. “Well, now that I have more context, I can give you my two cents about this whole situation. First of all, it would have been best to be up front about it from the start, but I understand that you can’t go around telling everyone about it. Need-to-know basis and all that. I get it. And you maybe didn’t expect to develop feelings for Aether… I know I certainly didn’t expect it of myself, but he has that way about him…”

Recalling his former feelings for his bandmate seemed to put Ember into a brief trance; his grey eyes stared forward, unseeing. Copia heard no specific thoughts, but he did get a sense of the emotions the skinny ghoul felt about it. There was some sadness, to be sure, but also a deep bond of friendship that remained unaffected by what had transpired between them.

“That being said, I think if you’re honest about it and explain why you didn’t tell him until now, Aether will be cool about it. I’m sure you know well enough by now that Aether is a very compassionate ghoul. I think he’ll be able to understand. He’s not like Marble at all, and this sounds like your feelings are more mutual than what happened with you and that Brother of Sin. Plus, you could tell him about how you’ve used your abilities for good too, don’t forget that. You helped deal with Cinder, for example. And that other time you helped me with my issues… You could show him a vision too, maybe something a bit nicer than what you showed me though,” he said with a half-smile.

Copia listened to the skinny ghoul’s words carefully. The comments regarding Aether’s compassion were certainly true; the big ghoul had a big heart, and always seemed to be able to understand the perspective of others, even when he didn’t necessarily agree with them. But the cardinal was still anxious about the idea of being so open with him, and he sighed heavily, patting his hands on the desk rhythmically.

“Thank you, Ember, for your input on this matter. I still have some more thinking to do about it, but this has been a big help,” Copia expressed, sincere in his gratitude. The lead guitar ghoul was an unexpected confidante to be sure, but he had no doubt that Ember’s opinion would play a large part in his final decision. “You may leave now, Imp. Get back to work, hm?” He said in a far less serious tone, giving the skinny ghoul a wink.

Ember shook his head at the cardinal and stood up, his posture upright and formal. “Good luck, cardinal,” he said as he made his way toward the door. “I hope everything turns out the way you want it to.”

“It will all turn out exactly as it’s supposed to,” Copia replied. 

* * *

Later that evening, the cardinal returned to Aether’s room and found the big ghoul at the end of his usual workout routine. Aether was dressed in a plain black tank top and some grey sweatpants, his skin beaded with sweat as he did some bicycle calisthenics, and Copia stood there for a moment, enjoying the view with a goofy smile on his face. The quintessence ghoul smiled up at him from the floor. “Hiya, love, almost done here. Tell me about your day?” Aether requested between breaths of exertion.

Copia took a seat on the edge of the bed. He was fully distracted by the sight of his favorite ghoul working so hard to maintain his beefy build.

_(I hope everything’s alright…)_ he heard Aether think, though the big ghoul was patient.

“Well, I can wait until you’re finished, but, there’s something I’d like to discuss with you,” Copia replied, hoping it didn’t sound too dauntingly serious.

The ghoul’s movements paused, his muscles taut as he held position, and he gazed at Copia with his kind brown eyes full of concern. _(Okay, don’t freak out, just stay calm. That’s not necessarily a bad thing,)_ Aether said in his mind, while his facial expression stayed neutral. “Sure thing, only a few more left to go,” the ghoul huffed aloud. He finished his set, then relaxed and stood up to retrieve a nearby towel, wiping the sweat off his skin. He sat beside Copia on the bed, and gave him his full attention. “I want you to feel comfortable telling me anything that’s on your mind, at anytime,” Aether expressed. He reached over and placed his warm hand on the cardinal’s leg.

Copia placed his gloved hand on top of Aethers, then met the ghoul’s gaze. _ Here goes nothing… _

“Have you ever wondered about my eyes?” he asked for a start.

Aether’s head tilted a little to one side, clearly not expecting such a question. “I’ve always thought it was an odd coincidence that you should have the same heterochromia as the Emeritus brothers had, but aside from that, I suppose I simply accepted it as part of who you are. Or maybe it’s part of your position in the church?”

Copia pointed to his one white eye with his free hand. “This isn’t a hereditary trait. This is the Evil Eye. And each of us, the Emeritus brothers and myself, among others in the higher ranks, had to willingly receive it as part of an exceptionally secretive ritual. I haven’t told you about all this before now partially because, well, frankly, I’m not supposed to. But I trust you, and I want to be honest with you.”

The big ghoul nodded along, and he glanced down as he turned his hand over to lace their fingers together. “I appreciate that,” Aether said quietly. “Please, go on.”

After a brief pause, the cardinal continued. “The Evil Eye isn’t merely about the look, although part of its purpose is to be hypnotic. It also grants me certain abilities, the most problematic of which being…” Copia took a deep breath, bracing himself. “...and I have no control over it, but… I’m able to hear the thoughts of others. As long as they’re in close proximity, I can hear them. Including yours.”

Aether was very still, taking in the cardinal’s words. With a little smirk, he thought, _(Oh? So you can hear this then?),_ testing to see how it worked.

“Yes I can, but I could have guessed that easily enough. Try something more difficult. Something I wouldn’t already know. I’m kind of telling you a secret here, so how about you tell me one of yours?” Copia’s lips curled into a smirk too, mirroring the ghoul.

“A secret, hm?” Aether went quiet as his thoughts became a jumble of various ideas, none of which were clear enough to be heard as complete sentences. Then one surfaced: _(I’m actually very self-conscious about my body, so the fact that you find me attractive has really helped to boost my self esteem.)_

Copia’s eyebrows came together, and his hand squeezed Aether’s once more, touched by the sentimentality of the ghoul’s secret. He brought his other hand up to the ghoul’s metallic face, stroking his cheekbone with his thumb. “We’re all our worst enemies, aren’t we? Honestly, you have no reason to be self-conscious, you’re a splendid specimen and you should be proud of your physique. I’m quite jealous of it, but that should come as no surprise, heh heh.”

A wide grin spread across the ghoul’s face as he nuzzled into Copia’s hand, and there was a noticeable blush in his cheeks. “That’s pretty incredible. Must come in handy, I imagine.”

“It can be quite handy, yes. But it also means I hear things I’m not meant to hear. People’s darkest thoughts, their innermost fears and desires that they’d never dare to speak out loud… Doesn’t it concern you, even a little?” Copia asked, surprised by the calm way Aether seemed to be accepting this revelation.

The quintessence ghoul shrugged his muscular shoulders with a nonchalant smile. “It doesn’t bother me. I have nothing to hide from you. Might make birthday surprises a bit difficult though.”

“Birthday surprises? That’s the only issue you can think of?”

“Do you _ want _ me to have an issue with it?”

“No, I just… I wasn’t expecting this kind of response,” the cardinal admitted. “Here I’d been worried the whole day that this might end what we have going on… I feared you might not be able to trust me anymore, or that you wouldn’t feel comfortable being close to me knowing that information.”

Aether reached up and slightly pulled away Copia’s hand from his face so he could turn his head and kiss the palm of his glove affectionately. “That’s where _ you _ have no reason to worry, my dear. It would take a whole lot more than that to make me want to leave your side.”

A warmth spread through the cardinal’s chest in response to Aether’s words and tender display. His felt tears of joy forming as he looked into the big ghoul’s eyes, and he laughed a little at himself for having been so distraught over the whole thing. Ember had been right after all. “You’re a treasure, Aether, truly. It’s no wonder why you’re my favorite ghoul.”

“And you’re my favorite cardinal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aren't they just the fluffiest? :B


End file.
